We (Wes, 81, Rita 75) finished the Primitivo on June 4. Last September we posted our stages on the San Salvador (Older People on the San Salvador) to encourage older folks, and those who just need/want shorter stages, to walk that beautiful Camino. Most people walk the Primitivo in 11 to 14 days. I want to share our 19 walking stages to encourage older/slower folks to walk the Primitivo. To relieve Wes' back, we did use transport for a large plastic trash bag (!) filled with our heavy things on the 4 stages that were 20k or more, as well as the Pola de Allande to Berducedo stage. Otherwise we carried our packs and enjoyed some really short stages ("rest days").
We arrived in Oviedo late in the day and stayed in the Albergue de Peregrinos El Salvador. The next day, I was able to spend hours touring the Cathedral while Wes enjoyed finding and walking the route out of Oviedo for the next day. We were able to recover from our jet lag and the Albergue was kind enough to allow us to stay one more day. We started our walk the next day. Each walking day we left the albergues between 7 and 7:30 am, and we arrived between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm at our next stop and were able to enjoy the afternoon exploring the town, reading, doing crossword puzzles, washing clothes, etc. etc.
The kilometers are approximate since every guide has different ones.
Day 1 -- Oviedo to Venta del Escamplero, 11.9k
Day 2 -- Venta del Escamplero to San Juan de Villapanada, 17.4k
Day 3 -- San Juan de Villapanada to Salas, 17.5k
Day 4 -- Salas to Tineo, 18.9k
Day 5 -- Tineo to Campiello, 18.9 (the rain in the forecast determined that we would walk the Pola alternative to the Hospitales. We didn't have rain and we LOVED the Pola route!
Day 6 -- Campiello to Pola de Allande, 12.4k
Day 7 -- Pola de Allande to Berducedo, 18k
Day 8 -- Berducedo to Embalse de Salime. The long downhill to Embalse de Salime nearly did in both our lower backs and it was such a treat to stay at the wonderful Hotel Las Grandas for very little more than the two of us in an albergue privado and they had an exceptionally wonderful Menu de Peregrinos for 10 euro each.
Day 9 -- Embalse de Salime to Castro, 10.5k
Day10 -- Castro to Fonsagrada, 20.2k
Day 11 -- Fonsagrada to O Cadavo, 24.1k
Day 12 -- O Cadavo to Castroverde, 8.9k
Day 13 -- Castroverde to Lugo, 21.2
Day 14 -- A day in Lugo, walking the wall, touring the Cathedral
Day 15 -- Lugo to San Roman, 18k
Day 16 -- San Roman to As Seixas, 13.4k
Day 17 -- As Seixas to Melide, 14.8k
Day 18 -- Melide to Arzua, 13k
Day 19 -- Arzua to Pedrouzo, 19k
Day 20 -- Pedrouzo to Santiago, 20k
We had really good weather. Only the last day did it really rain and we entered Santiago soaked through and cold! We flew home to New England the next day and started thinking about the Via de la Plata next spring...
We arrived in Oviedo late in the day and stayed in the Albergue de Peregrinos El Salvador. The next day, I was able to spend hours touring the Cathedral while Wes enjoyed finding and walking the route out of Oviedo for the next day. We were able to recover from our jet lag and the Albergue was kind enough to allow us to stay one more day. We started our walk the next day. Each walking day we left the albergues between 7 and 7:30 am, and we arrived between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm at our next stop and were able to enjoy the afternoon exploring the town, reading, doing crossword puzzles, washing clothes, etc. etc.
The kilometers are approximate since every guide has different ones.
Day 1 -- Oviedo to Venta del Escamplero, 11.9k
Day 2 -- Venta del Escamplero to San Juan de Villapanada, 17.4k
Day 3 -- San Juan de Villapanada to Salas, 17.5k
Day 4 -- Salas to Tineo, 18.9k
Day 5 -- Tineo to Campiello, 18.9 (the rain in the forecast determined that we would walk the Pola alternative to the Hospitales. We didn't have rain and we LOVED the Pola route!
Day 6 -- Campiello to Pola de Allande, 12.4k
Day 7 -- Pola de Allande to Berducedo, 18k
Day 8 -- Berducedo to Embalse de Salime. The long downhill to Embalse de Salime nearly did in both our lower backs and it was such a treat to stay at the wonderful Hotel Las Grandas for very little more than the two of us in an albergue privado and they had an exceptionally wonderful Menu de Peregrinos for 10 euro each.
Day 9 -- Embalse de Salime to Castro, 10.5k
Day10 -- Castro to Fonsagrada, 20.2k
Day 11 -- Fonsagrada to O Cadavo, 24.1k
Day 12 -- O Cadavo to Castroverde, 8.9k
Day 13 -- Castroverde to Lugo, 21.2
Day 14 -- A day in Lugo, walking the wall, touring the Cathedral
Day 15 -- Lugo to San Roman, 18k
Day 16 -- San Roman to As Seixas, 13.4k
Day 17 -- As Seixas to Melide, 14.8k
Day 18 -- Melide to Arzua, 13k
Day 19 -- Arzua to Pedrouzo, 19k
Day 20 -- Pedrouzo to Santiago, 20k
We had really good weather. Only the last day did it really rain and we entered Santiago soaked through and cold! We flew home to New England the next day and started thinking about the Via de la Plata next spring...